Michael Gowing purchased his farm in Scorduff, Co Offaly, in 2006 and has expanded rapidly since, the third in a series of Macra farm walks ahead of the young farmer of the year competition heard this week.
Although he has two full-time employees, Gowing calves all the cows himself and last spring saw 419 cows produce 432 calves on his farm.
“This system works for me, it won’t work for everyone," he said.
“It’s all about your setup - I never have to go looking for tags, iodine, beastings - they’re always to hand.”
Paddocks on the farm are roughly 5 acres in size.
Feeding cows' milk to calves is something that Gowing puts a strong emphasis on, as he believes it produces a better calf, while also avoiding the considerable cost of milk replacer.
Importantly, the herd is tested for Johne’s disease.
Paddocks
Fields on the farm are split into 5ac paddocks and he pre-mows paddocks when necessary in order to maintain grass quality.
In terms of breeding, Gowing AIs with both dairy and beef genetics, with Freisian AI being used for the early part of the season.
Among the beef breeds being used for AI are Limousin, Charolais, Belgian Blue, Hereford and Aberdeen Angus.
Some of the main criteria he looks for when selecting a bull for replacements are indexes of +35kg in milk solids and +150kg in terms of milk.
The farm is equipped with a 28-unit Fullwood parlour.
Currently, the cows are being milked through a 28-unit Fullwood herringbone parlour and are averaging 7,400l a year, with milk solids in the region of 640kg.
Read more
In pictures: a €3.65m tillage to dairy conversion
Young farmers breaking their way into the industry
In pictures: pig farmer invests for future from digital feeding to spit roasting
Michael Gowing purchased his farm in Scorduff, Co Offaly, in 2006 and has expanded rapidly since, the third in a series of Macra farm walks ahead of the young farmer of the year competition heard this week.
Although he has two full-time employees, Gowing calves all the cows himself and last spring saw 419 cows produce 432 calves on his farm.
“This system works for me, it won’t work for everyone," he said.
“It’s all about your setup - I never have to go looking for tags, iodine, beastings - they’re always to hand.”
Paddocks on the farm are roughly 5 acres in size.
Feeding cows' milk to calves is something that Gowing puts a strong emphasis on, as he believes it produces a better calf, while also avoiding the considerable cost of milk replacer.
Importantly, the herd is tested for Johne’s disease.
Paddocks
Fields on the farm are split into 5ac paddocks and he pre-mows paddocks when necessary in order to maintain grass quality.
In terms of breeding, Gowing AIs with both dairy and beef genetics, with Freisian AI being used for the early part of the season.
Among the beef breeds being used for AI are Limousin, Charolais, Belgian Blue, Hereford and Aberdeen Angus.
Some of the main criteria he looks for when selecting a bull for replacements are indexes of +35kg in milk solids and +150kg in terms of milk.
The farm is equipped with a 28-unit Fullwood parlour.
Currently, the cows are being milked through a 28-unit Fullwood herringbone parlour and are averaging 7,400l a year, with milk solids in the region of 640kg.
Read more
In pictures: a €3.65m tillage to dairy conversion
Young farmers breaking their way into the industry
In pictures: pig farmer invests for future from digital feeding to spit roasting
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